Trying to Make Sense of Elijah Jackson's UW Situation

One of two returning starters, the cornerback might come off the bench.

Elijah Jackson gave nickelback a try in the sixth fall practice. / Skylar Lin Visuals

Cornerback Elijah Jackson didn't pull on a uniform for the University of Washington spring football game back in May. He didn't suit up for the recent Husky intrasquad game either.

Both times coach Jedd Fisch curiously said the 6-foot-1, 193-pound junior from Carson, California, was resting, without offering any detail.

Normally a situation like this wouldn't raise any red flags, but this one does because Jackson is one of just two returning starters, with senior linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala the other, from the UW team that went 14-1 and played in the CFP national championship game.

Elijah Jackson stands tall after his game-ending PBU against Texsa. / Skylar Lin Visuals

Jackson opened every game, one of just nine Huskies to do so, and he brought the Sugar Bowl to a close on New Year's Day with a final-play pass break-up in the end zone to secure a 37-31 victory over Texas.

Yet more often than not, this veteran defender has watched as Arizona transfer Ephesians Prysock and back-up Thaddeus Dixon have trotted out there as the UW's first-team corners since the coaching change.

Adding to the ongoing position mystery, Jackson turned up at nickelback for a fall practice and seemed to go through an audition that lasted only that day.

"It'll be a competitive battle all the way up to game one," corner coach John Richardson said of Dixon and Jackson. "That's the way it should be."

Now as the Huskies turn their attention to Weber State in the opener, Jackson very well could reclaim his spot and go about his business in the secondary, as if nothing has changed.

He could be nursing some sort of lingering injury that has held him back, but the team typically doesn't volunteer that sort of information.

The only other explanation is that Jackson simply got beat out by Dixon, a senior who opened against USC last season and no one else, after maybe grading out differently with Fisch's staff compared to Kalen DeBoer's defensive coaches. Richardson mentioned how he once tried to recruit Dixon and was familiar with him coming in.

Before the intrasquad game, Jackson and Dixon were scheduled to meet with the media on the same day, one after the other, but the incumbent backed out, no doubt disinterested in explaining what could be a touchy situation.

Overall, Jackson has started 17 games for the UW and built career totals of 71 tackles, 5 PBUs and forced 3 fumbles, but no interceptions yet.

Elijah Jackson could be pushed hard for his UW cornerback starting job. / Skylar Lin Visuals

Dixon, initially a junior-college transfer, appeared in 14 of 15 games last season and totaled 26 tackles, 7 PBUs and a pass theft against WSU in the Apple Cup.

Regardless of the order in which they appear, both of these veteran Husky corners should play a lot this coming season.

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